“I Feel Like I’m Getting Worse Every Time I Train !”

I hear a lot of people say this ( in particular many of my students at Revolution MMA in Benton, AR ). : Kids and adults alike. I’ve heard it time and time again. You can see the discouragement on their faces when they express this. Some people even consider quitting. Chances are, at some point in your Martial Arts training you’ve felt this way. Don’t worry, we all have. It’s totally normal. And this blog is for you!

Now, first let’s talk about why you feel that way. Here’s why: When you first start training, you feel pretty good. You hit the pad as hard as you can, you kick your opponent hard. The loud slap you hear coupled with your sudden shortness of breath makes you feel good. If you’re training Jiu Jitsu you’re probably doing a lot of grunting and pushing folks off of you. You make sharp, jerky and strong movements, and when you squeeze the crap out of someone’s head with your leg scissor or headlock you feel like you’ve won. After all, that’s what most new students do: Try to win. That’s the point isn’t it?

Not exactly: Later on down the line, you should start trying to use the things you learn in class. You stop trying to throw super hard kicks and punches while the rest of your body flings all over the place with your chin sticking up as if it had a bullseye on it. If you do Jiu Jitsu, you stop trying to hold and bench press folks, and you start trying to relax and move. In other words, you’re trying to do the right moves the right way. You are concentrating on what your whole body is doing, and trying to make harmonious movements! Good job! When you start trying to actually use the techniques you learn during classes at Revolution MMA in Benton, you discover that you aren’t always good at them right away. You go from overpowering folks via strength to sometimes ending up in a less preferred position because you tried and failed at a technical escape.

This is about the time students come to us and say they feel like they are getting worse. The truth is, you aren’t getting worse at all. You are trying to use techniques you haven’t mastered yet. You are trying to do the right moves the right way, use technique instead of strength, and this is exactly what you should be doing while training Martial Arts!

Let me let you in on a little secret: Did you know it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill? That’s 10,000 jabs, 10,000 snake moves, 10,000 escapes, that’s a lot of time in the gym training isn’t it? ! That could amount to years if you think about it. Expecting to be good the first time you try is a lot of pressure. This pressure causes some folks to feel a real let-down, and sense of defeat early on that leads to quitting. They essentially had unrealistic expectations, and fell short. You shouldn’t be feeling bad at all!

Let me put it in perspective: Think back to your early educational years. When you “graduated” elementary school and moved to middle school, you probably felt pretty good about your math skills. When you got to middle school math class, you head might have exploded! Did you get worse at math suddenly? Not really. You were just adding things to your knowledge database, and you have to practice in order for them to become easier. About the time they got easier you moved to High School, then College. The cycle keeps repeating. It’s supposed to.

There’s a saying that “practice makes perfect”, well in actuality, “perfect practice makes perfect”. As you mature in your training, don’t always try to win. Try to work on the things you learn, and add new techniques and combinations to your arsenal. Accept that you might not pull them off the first time. In fact, I’d recommend trying them out on people who are less skilled/ newer than you are. Once you have success against a lesser opponent, move up in skill level. As you work your way up, you’ll start to see you are improving. Start the cycle over again. Keep a training journal with notes of your combinations and moves you are trying to improve. Keep notes of your successes and failures, and review your notes regularly. Additionally, watch matches and videos online, or via DVD. If you can stay and watch an advanced class at your gym. Visualization plays a huge role in your body’s ability to perform. If you can video your self training, do so, and review your videos on a regular basis. Take the notes in your journals and evaluate progress. Ask your opponents and coach for feedback. With this “recipe” you can have a constant evolution in your game plan, and rest assured that you are constantly improving your training towards your end goal .

If You Really Want To Improve, Try Private Lessons:

During a private lesson, your coach will create a special blueprint just for your success. You can review your notes and videos with your coach and listen to an advanced perspective on your performance. You can discuss any problems you are having, and get precise help to fix those problems. You will have a time dedicated just to you and your success. In fact, it’s proven that people who train private lessons get better faster. 1 private lesson can teach you more than 1 month of group classes.

If you happened to land on this blog and you don’t train Martial Arts yet, or you’re just looking to get in shape and have fun with an activity you can actually stick with, let me invite you to give us a try at Revolution MMA in Benton, Arkansas. By clicking here you can contact us and we’ll set you up a no obligation personal consultation!

Arkansas Jiu Jitsu Practitioners Stand Out

at Pan No-Gi Championship

Jory Malone, Abby Malone, Bobby Riley

October 1, 2011: New York, New York, Revolution Mixed Martial Arts’ Brazilian Jiu Jitsu team recently traveled to the Pan American No Gi Championships, held in New York, New York on October 1, 2011. Among those traveling were: Jory Malone, Abby Malone and Bobby Riley. Jory Malone won his division, making him the 2011 Pan American No-Gi champion. He also placed bronze medal in the Open Weight class. His wife Abby Malone brought home a silver medal in the women’s black belt division, and a bronze medal in the open weight division. Their student Bobby Riley brought home a bronze medal in the featherweight blue belt division. All competitors represented Arkansas Jiu Jitsu well with their performances.

Jory and Abby both coach the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu program at Revolution MMA, and have numerous titles from competitions all over the world. Jory heads up the adult Brazilian jiu jitsu program, while Abby assists in the adult program and heads up the children’s program. Their gyms are located in Benton and Hot Springs Arkansas. Bobby Riley is an assistant in the Benton program. He has been training for over 3 years and this was his first International competition. The Malone’s started Revolution MMA in 2005, and their Arkansas Jiu Jitsu program continues to produce top quality competitors year after year.

Brought into the limelight recently by the UFC and the Gracie family, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or submission wrestling is a style of grappling or wrestling practiced all over the World. Submission wrestling is the oldest known sport in the World dating back to at least 2300 BC. It was a popular sport in Ancient Greece and described in many celebrated works of Greek literature. Today competitions are held Worldwide and many styles are practiced throughout the World. Practitioners use a highly evolved system of holds, positions, maneuvers and tactics to multiple the leverage of their force with the goal of subduing an opponent. No-Gi refers to submission wrestling without the use of a traditional kimono like Judo. The Arkansas Jiu Jitsu scene is thriving, and competitors will continue to stand out in future events as well.

Personal Development for Mixed Martial Arts Benton

In my last two blogs, we talked about what it takes for successful training in Mixed Martial Arts Benton. You have to develop your skill set as well as your athleticism. The final thing you must work on is personal development. Today we are going to discuss some things you can do to develop and improve yourself to reap the rewards from Mixed Martial Arts Benton training. Some things you will want to focus on specifically in your personal development include: will, determination and desire, as noted from yesterdays blog as one of the elements of the Renegade Wheel of Conditioning, as well as time management, and financial management.

Will, Determination, and Desire for Mixed Martial Arts Benton

What do you will to happen with your Mixed Martial Arts Benton training? What is your desire to be? Are you determined to make those things happen? There are several definitions of will, including: “deliberate or fixed desire or intention”, “thing that one desires or ordains”, “the faculty by which a person decides on and initiates action”, “control deliberately exerted to do something or to restrain one’s own impulses”. Desire goes along with will, and is defined as: “a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen “. Essentially, your wills and desires are your dreams, and they become your goals. Your determination drives you to accomplish them. Determination is simply “the act of committing to a decision”. This is an important aspect in your eventual success with Mixed Martial Arts Benton . Your mental attitude is a direct predictor of your success. If you don’t have the will power to win, to succeed, or to achieve your goals, quite simply you wont. In addition, your will, desire, and determination help you overcome adversity and avoid temptations. If you are in a training camp for a competition, or working towards your rank or another personal goal for your Mixed Martial Arts Benton training, at some point you will face temptation. Its likely to come from your family and/ or your friends, quite honestly. They might be discouraging you from training, or encouraging you to do things that hurt your training like go out and party, stay up late, etc. You have to have the will to say no, and stay committed to your goals. The second you lose sight of your goals, you begin a downward spiral that will be come increasingly harder to crawl out of.

Time Management: An Important Ingredient in Mixed Martial Arts Benton Success

You have to learn how to manage your time. It’s a skill. Some are better than others at it initially, but everyone can benefit from learning successful time management. If you are disorganized in your life you won’t be successful. You have to be sure to plan your week, setting aside time for your training, recovery, proper eating and anything else. Make sure you keep all appointments, and let nothing stand in the way. Naturally your will, determination and desire are what drive you to set these goals, but you will have to implement these things daily to overcome the daily obstacles that will throw themselves in front of you. Some of the most basic tips include

keeping a daily planner

schedule each day/ week in advance for your training schedule

keep daily to do lists for your training

remain organized – keep your gear clean, and in a place that’s easy to find. Set aside a place in your house that is your training area. You can keep gear there, but also keep literature there if you decide to read or write about your training.

focus on one thing at a time, give it your undivided attention – don’t bring yesterdays clutter to todays training. Clear your head and allow yourself some time to focus 100% on training

decide what’s most important – your training should be organized in a periodization schedule and you will want to prioritize what is most important. Depending on when your competition, test or focus event is will depend on what is the priority.

know when you work best – if you arent a morning person, don’t schedule your training at 6 am. Likewise if you have to get up early, don’t train until 11 pm. If you want to be successful, you have to organize your time and training when it is to be most productive.

And In my opinion the most important. Look, let me be bold and honest here and say that if you arent willing to financially invest in yourself and your training, quit now. It takes a lot of money to be good and successful with Mixed Martial Arts Benton . I am known for being brutally honest at times, so let me tell you that you are going to get hurt and it’s going to cost money. You also have to pay for your lessons and extended training. Your competitions will cost money as well. No one is going to sponsor you until you have invested quite a bit in your success to take yourself to a level in which you will get noticed. In addition, with the chance you do make it to a high level, you will want to continue to investing in yourself: You will have to pay trainers, and hire a manager as well as someone to help you market your persona and build your brand. Your ability to market yourself and attract fans /clients directly translates to the amount of money you are worth as a professional. If you are one of those people who lives paycheck to paycheck it’s time to drastically revolutionize that part of your life. I’d recommend the following:

keep all receipts for 1 month, after that month make a list of your expenses by category, analyze all expenses and look at what you can cut out that will free up more money for you to use towards your goal

make a budget based on your review/ plan

stick to your budget

set aside money for savings: you never know when something unfortunate like an injury might occur. Likewise you could lose a job, or simply have an opportunity to attend an exciting training camp. You don’t want to miss out because of poor financial planning.

I hope you have enjoyed my series on the secret keys to Mixed Martial Arts Benton Success!

We established that you need skill development, athletic development and personal development for success. One without the others will not work. I’d encourage you to pick a place to start and try to accomplish 1 task a day. Don’t get discouraged or feel overwhelmed with anything you read. If you haven’t started Mixed Martial Arts Benton this can seem overwhelming. Start small and work towards your goal daily. You can also stop by my gym and get 30 Days Free and a Free Consultation, and we’ll let you in on our secrets of how we make it happen time and time again!

What Does It Take For Mixed Martial Arts Benton Success?

So you train Mixed Martial Arts Benton….. You might be wondering what it takes to be successful, well, let me help you out a bit. I’ll be honest, it takes a lot to be successful with your Mixed Martial Arts Benton training, but of importance you have to prioritize several things: skill development, athletic development, and personal development. In this article, we are going to focus on skill development in particular in relation to your Mixed Martial Arts Benton Training.

Skill Development for Mixed Martial Arts Benton Success: Lesson 1, Go Where You Can Grow

If you want to be successful with your Mixed Martial Arts Benton training, you have to develop your skill set. First and foremost, this is very important. You want to align yourself with proper coaches, who are able to help you succeed in the desired field. I could go on forever about picking proper coaches, but simply put, pick a place where you feel comfortable. Naturally your Mixed Martial Arts Benton coach should have good communication skills, so that he/ she can effectively deliver the ideas and concepts of technique, and your coach should be well versed and experienced in your chosen skill set. However, if you don’t feel comfortable in the gym, or with the people or coach, you won’t last. So pick a place where you feel like you can grow.

Skill Development for Mixed Martial Arts Benton Success: Lesson 2, Make The Most Of Your Classes

Now: It’s important you go to your Mixed Martial Arts Benton classes. Attend every class you are able to. When most people get started, it’s a big change in lifestyle. Maybe you were used to coming home and watching TV after work, or doing something else. If your job involves physical labor, you are probably pretty tired. Your first few classes you are going to be pretty stoked and ready to train, but let me warn you that feeling is going to wear off. Some days you are going to be tired, or hurt a bit. You still have to go. It takes 30 days to create a habit, but not much time to break one. In the first 30 days it’s extremely important you attend classes. Do not miss for anything. Even a seasoned student can not take much time off. If you are sick or hurt, watch class and take notes. But keep the habit alive. Make the most of your Mixed Martial Arts Benton class, by coming prepared. Clear your mind of the days clutter, eat healthy before class, and focus on the training. Ask questions during or after class. Practice with intent and purpose. When it’s time for live training, do not train aimlessly. Train with a goal to work on a specific technique, or to improve in a focus area. But in your Mixed Martial Arts Benton training, ALWAYS TRAIN WITH PURPOSE! Finally, take notes! Review them often and practice.

There is more to training than just coming to Mixed Martial Arts Benton classes. If you really want to excel at Mixed Martial Arts Benton , take a private lesson. During a private lesson, your coach will help you specifically with your problems. You can get one on one attention that would be equal to months of regular classes. In addition, attend any seminar you can for your Mixed Martial Arts Benton Training. If you train at a good academy that is part of a good affiliation, you will have the opportunity to train with others who specialize in your chosen art. Attend these seminars and camps. Just like a private lesson, you can learn more in 1 seminar than you can in a month in classes. Now don’t get me wrong, class is extremely important, and if you think you are one of those people who will do only seminars and tournaments and yet miss class and still advance you’re wrong. I am simply stressing how important seminars and private lessons are. You really can learn that much! In addition, if your gym is part of a large association, you will have the opportunity to attend inter-affiliation seminars and other events like training camps. Make sure you go. At these camps you will reinforce your Mixed Martial Arts Benton training, and train with other high ranks who have the same goals, but different game plans and perspectives, thus helping you achieve your goals faster.

Yes, I said it. If you want to get good and improve your skill for Mixed Martial Arts Benton , compete. You don’t have to enter the world championships, and a small tournament is fine. You don’t have to commit to being a lifelong competitor to do it once. But competition is different from class training. First, it will improve you because you will do a training camp. You will train hard in this training camp, and it will push you to new limits. That alone is worth it. In the competition you will grapple under pressure. Not fun I know, but it will force you to use what you know and try your best. Win or lose, you will learn something about yourself and your techniques. You will likely experience different game plans from your opponents, and you will be sure to remember any mistakes. You can take a video and watch it to learn things to focus on in future Mixed Martial Arts Benton Training. Do it, even if it’s only once. There’s no excuse. None. If you are interested in Mixed Martial Arts Benton Training, check out my gym. At Revolution MMA we offer World Class Mixed Martial Arts. I’ll give you 30 Days Free, a Free E Course and a Free Tshirt, just for coming in! Click Here to get started! Thanks for reading, and feel free to view my past blogs on training here. I’d encourage you to stay tuned as our next blog will talk about improving your athleticism for success with your Mixed Martial Arts Benton Training.

I debated for quite some time what my first “philosophical” blog should be about, but decided I’d blog about Martial Arts, afterall Martial Arts Arkansas is what I’ve been doing for over 23 years now. Now that’s a broad subject to blog about, but then I remembered teaching a private lesson to some of the kids in my Kids Jiu Jitsu Program. Learning Jiu Jitsu and Martial Arts Arkansas can be somewhat complex, especially for kids. You see, there are a lot of steps and you have to get them all right or it won’t work. You see, Martial Arts Arkansas is like anything else in life, and that’s like baking cookies. We’ve all had some experience baking cookies. I have about as much cooking experience as the average guy, but I still understand the basic principle: You have to follow the recipe, otherwise, it’s not cookies, it’s crap.

As you learn and practice the techniques as part of your training in Martial Arts Arkansas , it’s important that you pay close attention to all of the steps involved. Missing 1 step makes the whole thing out of wack; it simply won’t work right. Your entire body has a role in the techique: your arms, legs, abs, and even your mind. If you leave out 1 ingredient off the cookie recipe, they wont cook right. Leave out 1 step of your techniques, and they simply won’t work right.

So, how do you ensure you get it right? Simple: Repitition, focused training, and proper instruction. Let’s start with proper instruction: You have to learn the right move the right way. You need someone better than you watching you and correcting mistakes. Someone else will notice things you don’t and remind you to do it with precision. As you train, it’s important you focus. You have to clear your mind, and think about nothing but the technique and what you are doing. You have to focus on everything, your arms, legs, body, etc. Notice every detail and try to make it as perfect as possible. Finally, you have to repeat the technique. Repetition builds muscle memory and trains proper movement. Sometimes you should repeat the drill or technique slowly. Paying attention to every detail to make sure it’s correct. Later on, speed it up, but only go as fast as you can with proper technique. Anything faster is a waste.

This week as you train, I encourage you to train with a purpose. Train to make cookies, not crap. Focus on your training. Take notes if needed, and practice at home. Try your best to get it exactly right. Be sure to ask questions. And most importantly, remember that this doesn’t just apply to Martial Arts Arkansas . It applies to everything. There’s recipe for running your business right, doing your job, relationships, and everything in life. Whatever it is that’s important to you, or you are trying to improve, try to find the recipe and follow it exactly. Do it right and you will be successful.

If you are not yet in a Martial Arts Arkansas Program, let me invite you to our gym! I’ll give you a 30 Day Free Trial, Free Tshirt, Free consultation and Free E course. We offer Mixed Martial Arts Arkansas programs such as:

Training for the Pan No Gi competition in New York has started, and now it’s time to step it up some more. I normally train 2x a day at least. It depends on where I’m at in the periodization that depends on what I do. But it’s time to kick it off with a training camp in Alabama, so we are on the way. My friend Steve Snyder and his guys in NC are going as well. Daniel Garcia, the 2011 Brazilian National Black Belt Champion is at Steves’ gym, attempting to help Steve get to where he can grapple more than 45 seconds without gassing :). He’s really good, but I suppose you don’t need me to say that. Marcelo also just moved to the US and is at a gym in MS. He was here in Jan 2010 helping me get ready for the Europeans and then spent 6 months here in 2010 at the end of the year working between my and Steve’s gyms. I really enjoy training with him for competitions, and credit him with a lot in helping my game.

So anyways, Steve is going to see family in AL, and taking Daniel. Marcelo’s going too, and so given it’s a holiday weekend, we are too. There’s 6 of us from Revolution. The plan was to take 1 car but that didnt work out. So now we are in 2, driving to AL. The plan is to train 6 hours a day. I’ll let you know how that goes…..